Portable nail stripper



Jan.30, 1934. E. c. FOLLETT EAL 1,945,144

PORTABLE NAIL STRIPPER Filed March 29, 1932 INVENTOIE ALBERT W. H ATER E ROY C. OLLETT i ORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE NAIL STRIPPER Application March 29, 1932. Serial No. 601,802

Claims.

Our invention relates to magazine-type nail holders, or so-called strippers, which are adapted to hold a number of nails in alinement with their points and shanks arranged in position, so they can be removed in position to be driven conveniently. It is common practice at the present time to provide stationary strippers in the box making industry, but said stationary strippers are relatively large and cumbersome, are mounted upon relatively fixed supports and, although they are convenient for use in making boxes and materially increase the output, they are not adapted to be provided as portable devices in other arts such, for example, as the lathing art and the shingling art. This is for the reason that the operators in said latter two arts, for example, move about when working and the inconvenience and the time consumed in locating a stripper of this character more than offsets the increased output gained by use of a stripper.

Lathers and shinglers thus carry the nails to be used in the pocket of an apron, or otherwise in a bag carried upon their person, and place a relatively small amount of nails, that is some twentyfive to one hundred, in their mouths. The nails placed in their mouths are tongued so that they are arranged between their lips in alinement and point first. The ordinary shingler or lather can drive more nails than he can tongue and thus their output is limited by their ability to tongue nails. Placing the nails in their mouths in this manner further is inconvenient and unsanitary and frequently produces a type of trade poisoning which limits the occupational life span and frequently the actual life span of the members of these trades.

The object of our invention is to provide a stripper adapted to be worn about the waist or about the chest of the user and one which is pivotally mounted so that when the nails are removed the holder is automatically tipped to bring further nails into position. In this manner no part of the conscious action of the operator is required to position nails and thus the user is free to occupy his full time in fixing laths or shingles in place.

The details of construction and the mode of operation of our improved device are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view of an operator with one of our improved strippers arranged in place;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thru such device taken substantially on the line 2-2 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Our improved invention comprises a support by which the operator may carry the holderat a point affording the operator the greatest freedorn of action. Said support comprises a" base a, which is provided with lateral apertures 11', thru which an encircling belt b is passed, said belt being adjustable and passing about the op erators body. In lathing we have discovered that the most convenient point for wearing such belt is adjacent the waist. In shingling, because of'the-fact that more work is done while'the operator is seated upon a roof jack, the belt is worn slightly higher, somewhat in the position 01 shown in Fig. 1.

To hold the support a rigid and to carry a portion of the-weight of such strippenwe'pro'vide a shoulder strap b; also adjustable, which passes thru a slot at at the top of the base. 'Alateral pin 0 extends from saidbase a and carries the cylindrical holder d for the nails. For a righthanded lather, the parts are arranged as is shown in Fig. 1 and for a left-handed lather, said'pin is extended thru the aperture'a 'and' the'hol'der is turned end for end. The pin 0 is provided with a threaded nut and shank portion a, which permits the disengagement of said holder to'permit this adjustment.

The pin c extends thru the holder or container d at a point to one side of the axis of massthereof, so that one end is heavier and thus the holder tends to move counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, about said pivot pin 0. It is supported by a laterally extending support e, which constitutesa rest for said holder. 'This support is also provided with a threaded nut e, and passes thru a slotted aperture a in the base and thus some slight degree of adjustability is given to position the point at which the holder will be at rest. That is, the support is adjustable laterally of the base, so that the relative angularity of the holder may be adjusted to the operators comfort and convenience.

The container for the nails or holder d is pref- 10o erably substantially cylindrical in section, as is shown in Fig. 2. 'It is essential that the bottom of such holder forms relatively atrough extending downwardly towards the slot 1 formed in the bottom of the holder. This trough can either be curved or angular. The trough-like bottom of the holder tends to direct nails held with-in the holder or container towards said slot. Said slot is proportioned so as to pass the points and the shanks of the nails used, but to retain the needs thereof. Thus the nails are arranged as is shown in Fig. 1, pendant from said slot and in alinement. Thus nails can be withdrawn from the stripper by grasping their points for pulling them out of the end of the slot 1.

Such end of the slot is covered by a resilient clip g pivotally secured by a bolt or other fastening device g upon the end d of the holder. Said end d forms an oblique angle with the major axis of the holder. The end of the slot 1 thus terminates at a point where the holder is of minimum thickness, which tends to produce efiiciency in, and ease of withdrawal of the nails from the holder.

Adjacent the slot and defining one side thereof is an adjustable plate h, which is secured to and forms a portion of the wall of the holder d. The plate h is secured by two adjustable bolts h, which pass thru elongated slotted holes h in said container. It is desirable that the slot be adjusted so as to be only slightly larger than the diameter of the shank of the nails to be used in said stripping device, so as to provide secure support for the heads of said nails and to prevent the inadvertent withdrawal of the nails except in their proper sequence.

Adjacent the inner end of the slot 1, I provide fingers z and 7 for separating the nails held within the stripper, so that they are separate elements when they pass over this slot 1 and thus said fingers tend to expedite the movement of said nails into said slot. The finger is pivotally mounted upon the pin 0 and the the upper end i abuts against the holder and the lower end i approaches or abuts against the opposed face of said holder, so as to limit the movement of such finger in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. Said lower end i preferably is pointed, so as to provide the maximum clearance about said finger when only a small quantity of nails remains in the holder. Said finger is free to rotate in a clockwise direction, being limited only by the size of the holder, and thus nails move without restriction interposed by said finger when they move away from said slot, but are dispersed when they move towards said slot.

I provide an opening is for filling the holder and such opening preferably is bounded by a flange Z, so as to prevent nails from being inadvertently thrown out of such holder thru such opening. The finger 7' is secured to said flange Z by an adjustable bolt m. The finger 7' is slotted as at a", and thus the finger not only can be adjusted angularly about the bolt m, but may be adjusted longitudinally thereof also.

The device is used as follows: A quantity of nails is placed within the holder, say for example the holder is filled half full or less, and the stripper is fastened about the person. The stripper is then rocked about its pivot until sufficient nails are arranged point first, as is shown in Fig. 1. This might be accomplished by one tipping, or it might require several tippings, depending upon the character of the nails and the quantity thereof.

. The nails are then withdrawn by the operator,

either single or in any given number, depending upon the operators ability. When further nails are to be withdrawn, they are pulled downwardly and outwardly from the slot to tip the container. The tipping action causes further nails to be cascaded from the end d to the pointed end d, so that said nails will pass over said slot and a certain number will fall into the latter and into position where they can be withdrawn. The tipping of the container to the position shown in Fig.

3 will cause said nails to move toward the closed end of the slot and into abutment and proper relation with the other nails, so they can be easily withdrawn in any number.

Nails tend to mass and to become interlaced with each other and thus the fingers i and a function to break up said mass of nails and to cause some of the nails to become spread and to pass into said slot more easily.

The support for said stripper is adjustable not only to the particular operator, but also to the point at which he wishes to carry said stripper, and it is to be noted that the base is curved to conform to the operators body and thus to aid in the comfort of said device.

We claim:

1. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, said holder provided with a slot extending thru the bottom portion at the end of the holder adjacent the pivotal connection of said holder with said base, said slot being of such width as to pass the point and shank of a nail but to retain the head thereof and resilient means overlying the end of said slot to resist the passage of nails out of the end of said slot, whereby said resilient means exercises a retarding agency to the withdrawal of nails and tends to induce a tipping force to said holder to spill nails from said holder over said slot.

2. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base, a holder pivotally mountedupon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, said holder provided with a slot extending thru the bottom portion at the end of the holder adjacent the pivotal connection of said holder with said base, said slot being of such width as to pass the point and shank of a nail but to retain the head thereof, a filling aperture opening into said holder at that side of the pivot axis opposite said slot, said aperture being bounded by a lateral upstanding flange depending into said holder and spaced from the end thereof.

3. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, said holder provided with a slot extending thru the bottom portion at the end of the holder adjacent the pivotal connection of said holder with said base, said slot being of such width as to pass the point and shank of a nail but to retain the head thereof, a pivotally: mounted bafiie finger arranged adjacent the inner end of said slot extending across the holder to limit the movement of nails towards said slot.

4. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, said holder provided with a slot extending thru the bottom portion at the end of the holder adjacent the pivotal connection of said holder with said base, said slot being of such width as to pass the point and shank of a nail but to retain the head thereof, and plural relatively-adjustable baflie fingers arranged adjacent the inner end of said slot extending across the holder to limit the movement of nails towards said slot.

5. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base adapted to be fastened to the users body by a strap-like support, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder and means for varying the position of the pivot axis upon said base.

6. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base adapted to be fastened to the users body by a strap-like support, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder and means carried by said base constituting a rest for said holder, said means being positioned upon said base to support the holder at an oblique angle with regard to said strap-like support.

'7. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base adapted to be fastened to the users body by a strap-like support, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder and a lateral support carried by said base constituting a rest for said holder, said lateral support being positioned upon said base to support the holder at on oblique angle with regard to said strap-like support.

8. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base adapted to be fastened to the users body by a strap-like support, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, means carried by said base constituting a rest for said holder, said rest being laterally adjustable upon said base.

9. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base, a strap-like support for said base, said support comprising an encircling belt for the users body and a shoulder strap, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, means carried by said base constituting a rest for said holder, said holder provided with a slot extending thru the bottom portion at the end of the holder adjacent the pivotal connection of said holder with said base, said slot being of such width as to pass the point and shank of a nail but to retain the head thereof, resilient means overlying the end of said slot to resist the passage of nails out of the end of said slot whereby when nails are withdrawn downwardly from said slot the holder is tipped about its pivot axis by the resistance imposed by said resilient means, that end of said holder adjacent the pivot being inclined at an oblique angle, a filling aperture extending into said holder arranged at that side of the pivot axis opposite said slot, said aperture being bounded by a lateral upstanding flange.

10. A nail stripping device provided with a pivotal base, a holder pivotally mounted upon said base at a point to one side of the center of mass of said holder, said holder provided with a slot extending thru the bottom portion at the end or the holder adjacent the pivotal connection of said holder with said base, said slot being of such width as to pass the point and shank of a nail but to retain the head thereof, resilient means overlying the end of said slot to resist the passage of nails out of the end of said slot whereby when nails are withdrawn downwardly from said slot the holder is tipped about its pivot axis by the resistance imposed by said resilient means, pivotally-mounted, relatively adjustable baflie fingers arranged adjacent the inner end of said slot extending across the holder to limit the movement of nails towards said slot.

ELROY C. FOLLETT. ALBERT W. HEATER. 

